Back from ACFW!

I flew in from Minnesota yesterday after attending the annual ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writer's) Conference. Wow, what an experience! Several hundred Christian authors all gathering to learn, to worship, and to meet with agents and editors! I was priviledged to meet several authors who I have only known online and also to attend the booksigning at the Mall of America! There were 127 authors there and I believe we made quite a stir right in the middle of the mall! Many people stopped by my table to chat and pick up a book mark. I sold a few books, but mainly it was such a pleasure to greet people as they passed by and help bring the glory of God into such a materialistic place. There was also an author panel which was quite a hit and afterward, I spoke with someone from Barnes and Noble who said they sold a ton of books and considered the event a great success. From a spiritual standpoint, my prayer is that many people who wouldn't normally pick up a Christian book, will now be more inclined to check out the genre and be introduced to the love of God!

Waving at those readers who drove all the way there to have me sign my Pirate trilogy!!! What a thrill to meet people who have enjoyed the stories God gave me!
Anyway, the conference was great, all the people I met were so nice. I only attended 2 classes due to time constraints but I learned something in each one. Being an introvert, I had to go back to my hotel room from time to time to recuperate and found that USA(I think) was running a Pirates of the Caribbean movies marathon! God is good!

Here are the ACFW Book of the year winners for 2007!

Debut Author
1.. Sushi for One? (Camy Tang) Zondervan, Sue Brower Yea CAMY!!!!
2.. Bayou Justice (Robin Miller writing as Robin Caroll)
3.. In Between (Jenny B. Jones)

Contemporary Novella
1.. Finally Home (Deborah Raney) Barbour Publishing, Susan Downs
2.. Moonlight & Mistletoe (Carrie Turansky)
3.. Remaking of Moe McKenna (Gloria Clover)

Historical Novella
1.. Love Notes in Love Letters Anthology (Mary Davis) àBarbour Publishing, Rebecca Germany 2.. Beyond the Memories (DiAnn Mills)
3.. The Spinster & The Tycoon (Vickie McDonough)

Lits
1.. Splitting Harriet (Tamara Leigh) àMultnomah Books, Julee Schwarzburg
2.. Sushi for One? (Camy Tang)
3.. One Little Secret (Allison Bottke) & The Book of Jane (Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt)

Long Contemporary
1.. Within This Circle (Deborah Raney) àSteeple Hill Books, Krista Stroever
2.. Like Always (Robert Elmer)
3.. Autumn Blue (Karen Harter)

Long Historical
1. Veil of Fire (Marlo Schalesky) RiverOak, editors Jeff Dunn/Jon Woodhams and Where Willows Grow (Kim Vogel Sawyer) Bethany House, editor Charlene Patterson
2. Fancy Pants (Cathy Marie Hake) & Then Came Hope (Louise Gouge)
3. Courting Trouble (Deeanne Gist)

Mystery
1.. Your Chariot Awaits (Lorena McCourtney) àThomas Nelson, Amanda Bostic
2.. Death of a Garage Sale Newbie (Sharon Dunn)
3.. Sticks And Stones (Susan Meissner)

Short Contemporary
1.. The Heart of Grace (Linda Goodnight) à Steeple Hill Love Inspired, Allison Lyons
2.. Heart of the Family (Margaret Daley)
3.. Wedded Bliss (Kathleen Y'Barbo)

Short Contemporary Suspense
1.. Caught Redhanded (Gayle Roper) àSteeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense, Krista Stroever
2.. Pursuit of Justice (Pamela Tracy)
3.. Nowhere to Hide (Debby Giusti) & Her Christmas Protector (Terri Reed)

Short Historical
1 Canteen Dreams (Cara Putman) & Golden Days (Mary Connealy)
2. A Wealth Beyond Riches (Vickie McDonough)
3. A Time to Keep (Kelly Eileen Hake)

Speculative
1.. The Restorer's Son (Sharon Hinck) àNavPress, Reagan Reed
2.. Demon: A Memoir (Tosca Lee)
3.. DragonFire (Donita Paul)

Suspense
1.. Black Ice (Linda Hall) àWaterBrook Press, Traci DePree
2.. Coral Moon (Brandilyn Collins)
3.. Abomination (Colleen Coble)

Women's Fiction
1.. Remember to Forget (Deborah Raney) àHoward Books/Simon & Schuster, Philis Boultinghouse
2.. Watercolored Pearls (Stacy Hawkins Adams)
3.. A Promise To Remember (Kathryn Cushman)

Young Adult
1.. In Between (Jenny B. Jones) àNavPress, Jamie Chavez
2.. Sara Jane: Liberty's Torch (Eleanor Clark)
3.. Saving Sailor (Renee Riva)


Congratulations to all the winners!